SCHOOLS, a care home and the civic hall in Didcot were on lockdown today after a man reportedly wielding two machetes caused panic in the town.

The man was seen sitting in Smallbone Recreation Ground on Britwell Road earlier, surrounded by police with guns.

Police remained on scene at 9.30pm tonight and Britwell Road was still closed.

Oxford Mail:

FOLLOW OUR LIVE UPDATES - Man wielding 2 machetes causes panic in Didcot 

The manager of Coronet Bingo, which is opposite the cordon, has confirmed that (as of 9pm) the road is still closed and there is still a large police presence.

He said police have advised him that they are trying to 'negotiate' with the man to ensure his welfare, and told him that the incident could continue for several more hours.

Kind staff at the bingo hall have been running teas and coffees over to officers to keep them refreshed, and allowing officers use of their facilities.

Early this afternoon officers told staff at the nearby Manor primary school, the Meadows care home, Didcot Health Centre and Didcot Civic Hall that no-one was to go in or out.

Ladybird Pre-School and Lydalls Nursery School, both in Lydalls Road, were also given the same instruction from police. 

A shopper described the moment a man 'counted down from 3' in Sainsbury's before pulling out two large knives - READ THE FULL ACCOUNT HERE

This is the scene in Didcot - video below

Oxford Mail:

A member of staff at the care home, who asked not to be named, said she could see the man in the neighbouring park at about 3pm.

She said: "He's just sat there - I think there's communication going on with police.

"It's just one man but he's got some serious machete-type knives and he looks very unwell."

She said swarms of police had arrived in the area after reports the man had also wandered around the nearby Sainsbury's with the knives out.

She said: "We've got armed police everywhere and we're on complete lockdown - we're not allowed outside."

This is the cordon in Britwell Road

A Kingston Bagpuize parish councillor said she was currently in lockdown at Didcot Civic Hall.

People told the Oxford Mail that several schools were on high alert in the area.

Several posts shared on Facebook reported that a man with 'two kitchen knives' was seen in Sainsbury's while one woman, who was in the store at the time, said he came 'running at me.'

Oxford Mail:

Another posted: "Everyone had to run to the back of the shop and we weren't allowed out for a while."